An Eye For An Eye – Akbar And Birbal Story In English For Kids

 

An Eye For An Eye

Once, emperor Akbar was riding near a mango grove. Birbal was along with him. An arrow whizzed past him.

Soldiers: Who is that? run run find out.
Akbar: Who is that? Nab him now. The soldiers rushed to the Grove and caught the person who shot the arrow. He was a young boy. The boy was brought before the king.
Soldier: Hey young devil, how dare you aim at the Emperor? Your Majesty, I will cut into two pieces now.

Birbal looked worried.
Akbar: Who was asked you to do this?
Young Boy: Your Majesty, I have not aimed at you. I just aimed at the mango which was hanging at the higher branch.
Soldiers: He is lying, your majesty. He looks like a cheat.
Birbal was calm. Akbar looks at Birbal.
Akbar: Shoot him down even as he tried to shoot the arrow at me.

Birbal was shocked. The soldier tied the boy to a tree aim at him. Birbal, who was watching the proceedings, could not keep quiet anymore.

Birbal: Your Majesty, please forgive me for interfering.
Akbar: Yes Birbal.
Birbal: Can I say something to the soldiers?
Akbar: Go ahead.
Birbal: Soldiers, You have to follow the Emperor’s orders to the word.
Soldiers: Yes sir, we do follow.
Birbal: Then, if you want to shoot him in the same way. As he tried to shoot the Emperor, then you will have to aim for a mango. Then the arrow has to miss the mango and strike the boy.
Soldiers: How is that possible, sir. So we cannot aim like that.

Akbar looked curiously at Birbal and understood what he was aiming at, he became calm by then. Thinking that he was unfair to the boy, he ordered his soldiers to free the boy.

Akbar: Release the ball immediately.
Birbal thanked Akbar for taking his suggestion.
Birbal: Your majesty, you are the most kind-hearted person and your qualities make you the Emperor of all Emperors.
Akbar smiles at Birbal. Birbal saved the innocent boy and also won Akbar everlasting fame.

Akbar’s Dream – Akbar And Birbal Story In English For Kids

 

Akbar’s Dream

Emperor Akbar believed in dreams. if he had a dream, he would immediately call his astrologers for consultation. One day, he dreamed that all his teeth except one had fallen. In the morning, He invited his astrologer Fahim.

Fahim: Greetings, your majesty.
Akbar: Fahim, I had a strange dream yesterday.
Fahim: What was your dream, you majesty?
Akbar: I dreamt that I was toothless except for one single tooth.
Fahim’s expression changed. Akbar was worried.
Akbar: What is the matter, Fahim?
Fahim: Your Majesty, give me a day’s time. I have to consult with other astrologers before discussing this further.

As fahim left, Akbar began to worry more. The next day, Akbar unease had increased. By then the astrologer Fahim entered the court room.

Fahim: Your majesty.
Akbar: Yes Fahim, have you discussed the dream with other astrologers?
Fahim: Your Majesty, this means all of your relatives will die before you and you will be left alone I am sorry to say this to you.
Akbar’s face showed his sorrow.
Akbar: You may go now Fahim.

Fahim was disappointed that he didn’t get any reward but his prediction. On his part, Akbar was concerned about his relatives. He sent the astrologer away without giving him anything. He got restless. The whole day passed, but he could not find peace of mind. Akbar did not attend the court that day.

Birbal comes to the court, but is surprised to find the emperor absent. Akbar used to attend the court even if he was sick. Why was he absent in himself now? Birbal was worried. He goes to meet Akbar in his room in the evening and finds Akbar sad and listless.

Birbal: Your Majesty, I just came to tell you, that I have come late today.
Akbar looked at Birbal.
Akbar: Why are you late?
Birbal: Your Majesty, I caught a thief in my neighbor’s house. That’s why I got delayed.
Akbar: How did you find the thief?
Birbal: A merchant is my neighbor. He has lost some gold. He suspected that the thief was one of his servants. So he came to me and mentioned the incident. I went to his house. Assembled all his servants and asked them about the merchants missing gold. Everybody denied any knowledge of the gold. I gave a stick of equal length to all the servants of the merchant and told them that the stick of the real thief would be longer by two inches the next day. I told all the servants that they should be present the next day with their sticks.
Akbar: Entreating, Birbal go ahead.

Birbal was happy to see the smile on Akbar’s face.

Akbar: What was the purpose of the stick, to beat them?
Birbal: No your majesty, it’s only a trick. All the servants gathered again at the same place the next day. I asked them to show their stakes.
Akbar: What happened??
Birbal: One of the servants had his stick shorter by two inches. He was the thief. I caught him and presented him to the merchant as the thief. The merchant brought back his gold back from him.
Akbar: How do you say that he is the thief?
Birbal: My lord, the thief had already cut his stick short by two inches in the night fearing that his stick will be longer by two inches by morning. But he did not understand that I was bluffing. The other servants were not worried as they had not stolen.
Akbar: Amazing, Birbal.

Birbal was happy to see the Emperor laughing.

Birbal: Your majesty, I am glad now to see you happy I didn’t come here to tell you the story. The court looks dull without you and I wanted to know the reason for your sadness. Akbar likes people’s affectionate nature.
Akbar: Birbal, I had a strange dream. I dreamt that I had lost all my teeth except one. I called Fahim, our astrologer but he said that all my relatives will die before me.
Birbal was laughing.
Akbar: Why do you laugh birbal, This is something that is really worrying me.
Birbal: I am sorry your majesty, may tell you the meaning of your dream?
Akbar: Do you know astrology?
Birbal: Why not, your majesty there are simple things in astrology. This is a very good dream.
Akbar’s face brightens.
Birbal: Your majesty, this means you will live very long and have a life of fulfilment amidst your relatives.
Akbar: Is it so?
Birbal: Yes your honour, falling of teeth means a very long life, everyone knows that.
Akbar: I am happy now, Birbal.

Akbar was very pleased and rewarded Birbal handsomely. Birbal, on his part was very happy to see the smile back on the emperor’s face. One day emperor Akbar and Birbal were taking a walk in the palace gardens. It was a nice summer morning and there were many crews happily playing around the pond. Akbar decided to test Birbal’s wit. He asked Birbal how many crows there were in his kingdom. After a moment’s thought Birbal replied.

Birbal: There are ninety five thousand four hundred and sixty three crows.
Amazed by his quick response, Akbar asked,
Akbar: What if there are more?
Without hesitating Birbal replied,
Babar: If there are more crows, then some are visiting from the other neighboring kingdoms.
Akbar: And what if there are less crows?
Birbal: Then some crows from our kingdom would have gone on a holiday to other places.
Such was Birbal’s presence of mind and intelligence. Although Birbal was well loved by emperor Akbar and the common people because of his wit and love of justice. Jealous courtiers at Akbar’s court continuously plotted his downfall without success.

What The Sun And Moon Can’t Do – Akbar And Birbal Story For Kids

 

What The Sun And Moon Can’t Do

Akbar’s court was famous for witty question-answer sessions. On one such occasion.

Akbar: O great men, who are assembled here, can you tell the difference between truth and falsehood in less than three words.

All the courtiers were in deep thought trying to figure out how to tell the difference between truth and falsehood. But despite the lapse of quite some time they were not able to do so.

Akbar: What about you, Birbal?
Birbal: Your majesty, four fingers.
The King was surprised.
Akbar: How, Birbal?
Birbal: Yes your majesty, this is the difference between, truth and false. Because what your eyes see is truth and what your ears hear, more often than not, may be false.
Akbar: That is right, but then why do you say four fingers?
Birbal: Because your majesty, the width of your fingers is the distance between the ears and the eyes.

Akbar was astonished at this replay.

Akbar: Wow, brilliant. Now the second question.
Akbar drew a line on the floor.
Akbar: Dear man, can you shorten this line without touching it?
The courtiers were not equal to the task.
Akbar: Birbal, can you do it?

Birbal came forward and drew another longer line beside it. Now the kings line was shorter than Birbal’s.

Akbar: Excellent, Now another question. My dear courtiers, please answer it.
Courtiers: Yes my lord.
Akbar: What is that which the sun and moon cannot see but others can.
As usual his courtiers were clueless.
Akbar: Birbal, any answer from your side?
Birbal: Darkness, My lord.
Akbar: Beautiful, because if the sun and the moon try to see darkness, there will no darkness indeed.
Akbar hugs Birbal for his intelligent response.

What’s Cooking – Akbar And Birbal Story In English For Kids

 

What’s Cooking

Once Akbar and Birbal were taking a stroll. It was winter and it was at its peak.
Akbar: Birbal, I don’t know How people put up with this winter?
Birbal: They get used to it what else can people without means do, My lord?
Akbar: But will anyone be able to stand this winter without a jacket?
Birbal: A man can do anything for money.

Akbar dipped his finger in the almost freezing water of a nearby pond. He drew back his hand immediately.

Akbar: I don’t think so. Do you think somebody can stand in this freezing water for the whole night, for money?
Birbal: I think so, your majesty. I can find such a man if you want proof.
Akbar: I will give one thousand gold coins to such a man.

Next Day, Birbal brought a man who was very poor and looked thin and famished. He told the king that the man would stand in freezing water.

Akbar: Good, stand in the water all night.
Because Akbar did not believe that, anybody could stand in freezing water the whole night. He sent guard to see that the condition was actually carried out. The next day, the man came back to claim his prize.
Akbar: Just tell me how you could stand that cold water the whole night?
The Man: Your majesty, there was a lamp post at some distance. I just gazed at it for the whole night. The heat of the lamp was my only hope.

Akbar refused to reward him.

Akbar: You took the help of the heat from the lamp, you did not stand cold water.
The Man: Your majesty, the lamp was very far away.
Akbar: No, I don’t want any explanation, you may go now.

Hearing this, the man was very disappointed. But how could he argue with the Emperor? He went away. When birbal heard this, he didn’t like it. Next day he didn’t come to the court. Akbar got worried about him and sent his men to bring him to the court.

The men went to his house and came back with the message that Birbal was cooking his food, and only after eating it cloud he come to the court. One hour passed, Two hours passed, Several hours passed. Evening fell, but there was no sign of birbal. Now akbar got impatient, and got ready to meet birbal. So he went to Birbal’s house. He saw Birbal sitting in a room. Fire was burning and a pot was hung about 8-10 feet higher than the fire.

Akbar: Birbal, What are you doing?
Birbal: My Lord, I am cooking my food.
Akbar: Birbal you can’t cook your food in this way. The pot is not getting enough heat for the foodstuff to get cooked.
Birbal: Your majesty, If the poor man standing in freezing water can derive heat from a far-off lamb. Why Cannot my footd be cooked in this way?

The King understood the meaning of Birbal’s words.
Akbar: Birbal, I understand my mistake, I will reward him tomorrow.
Birbal: Thank you, your highness, you’re always great.
Next day, Akbar called the man and gave him his due.

Neither Here Nor There – Akbar And Birbal Story In English For Kids

 

Neither Here Nor There

The courtiers, who were envious of Birbal’s popularity with the emperor. Always thought of some way or the other to get people into trouble. One day, one of Akbar’s ministers spoke to the King.

Ministers: Huzoor, You always give work to Birbal. Give us an opportunity to earn your goodwill.
Akbar: Ok, let me give you some work. I give you three rupees. You go and buy three things of one rupee each. The first thing should be from here, the second thing shall be from there and the third thing should be from neither here, not there.

The minister was shocked. The courtiers looked confused.

Ministers: But It does not make any sense. Yes spending so much time with Birbal as he does, even the Emperor seems to have lost his balance.
Akbar sees the courtiers discussing among themselves.
Akbar: Any problem?
Ministers: No my Lord, He will get you the things.

The minister immediately went to the market and asked for the specified things from the market. But he came back empty handed.
Ministers: My lord, these things cannot be got anywhere at any price. So if birbal can break them then we will accept that he is really great.
Akbar called Birbal and asked him to bring the same things.
Akbar: Your majesty, they will be here tomorrow.

The next day, birbal came to the court as usual.

Akbar: Birbal, what happened?
Birbal: Yes my lord, the first rupee I gave to one beggar. That reached god who is there. The second rupee I spent to buy some sweets that was used here. And the third rupee I spent in playing dice, this rupee is neither used here nor there.
Akbar: Excellent, Brilliant answer.
Birbal: Thank you, My lord.

All the courtiers were very much surprised to hear birbal’s logic. Akbar smiled to himself.